The dreary rag old guard have almost always followed suit and will do so this week with first team coach Rene whatsisname, Rugney, Scholes, Giggs, Ferdinand, Evra and Carrick all previously tripping over themselves to talk City. Ex swamp dwellers Cantona, Robson, McQueen and now Sheringham all from a bygone age have also had their noses in the "this isn't really happening" trough of desperation.

This week, the begrudging, in denial knight of the realm has plenty to say. Starting with the Manchester derby where if the rags had stumbled about until midnight they'd still never have got a shot on target:

'In the end we just ran out of time, as Mancini made changes to give him five at the back. It's the Italian mentality - and maybe we should sometimes go down that road.'

'...if we lose the league this year there is no doubt the pivotal match was the 4-4 draw. We could certainly have done with bolting up the game against Everton. If we had done just a fraction of what City did, I would probably be saying quite a different thing.'

And in a stakes raising green light to City's players to raise their game and batter QPR next Sunday the barren funds knight droaned:

'It is not in our nature to put up the shutters and I like to think that it is our attacking, adventurous approach that has made United famous.'

Drivel. The bus he parked at The Etihad last week was the clearest indication yet that a power shift is close to being realised. Even hacks and pundits who have slated City all season are this week affording long overdue praise to Roberto Mancini and his troops who all acknowledge that the job is not yet done.

As for City's players themselves. Rarely do we ever see them banging on about themselves all interview these days. The constistent theme isn't about anybody else either, but the targets of the team. All a far cry from the 18 months of the Mark Hughes era...but that can keep until we address himself later this week...

Your Comments (oldest first)

As a "neutral" I have to say I've found your defensive play this season pretty awful to watch and my god, how ambitionless it was when Mancini went to Old Trafford to park the bus and grind out that hideous footballing result. Truly awful and undeserved title winners (should it happen). Oh Fergie...

We MOSTLY have players who know how to behave and have some semblance of modesty and decency. Players like Barry, Aguero, Dzeko, Toure, Silva, Hart, Milner, Kompany, Clichy, Lescott, Zaba, Kolorov, Richards etc. They have about three such players, De Gea, Berbatov, Cleverley....err....that's about it....and that was an effort!

The "deciding" game of the season should we win the title will be the 6-1 at the swamp, as that provided a hefty goal differential for us. The best part was the three goals scored in fergie time that let it be 6.

You've got to laugh at Bacon Face's desperation. His tantrum at our place on the sidelines showed he can't hack the pressure. We looked comfortable and attacked at will, whilst 10 passengers of the fergie bus felt the need to park on the edge of the box, whilst potato head went about shadowing the ref trying to get our players sent off. Many Thanks to Kompany for leaping like a salmon to hammer that ball home. Nothing won yet, but it certainly looks good for Sunday.

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